A Christmas to Remember
by AsLostAsAliceAsMadAsTheHatter
Summary: No one deserves to be alone on Christmas, and the only one in all of Townsville who seems to be is Ms. Bellum. What are the girls to do? Why, invite her to spend Christmas with them of course! T for mention of alcohol, though none is actually consumed. Yay, AU fluff! It wouldn't let me add her, but Buttercup is in this, too!
1. Chapter 1

It was that time of year again. Christmas. People were joyful, kids were excited, families got along and gathered together, even the villains and monsters took a break from crime. It should have been the happiest and easiest time of the year for her. The Mayor was even easier to handle since all he did was constantly change his wish list or babble about pickles.

But she just couldn't bring herself to get into the Christmas spirit. Looking around, she saw that everyone had someone to spend the special day with. The Mayor had his wife, Ms. Keane had her family that she was going to visit, the girls had the Professor, even Mojo Jojo had Him and the boys! But she didn't have anyone, that is, unless you counted her friend Jack Daniels. It was hard for anyone to believe that someone like her wouldn't have family or friends to spend the day with, but she didn't.

Her parents had died years ago and since she was an only child she had no siblings to visit. Working for the Mayor ensured long hours and endless trouble so she didn't have very many friends either. Oh sure, everyone liked her, but she could count on one hand the number of actual friends she had. And they both had plans. So, as Ms. Bellum walked home that crisp Christmas Eve, she couldn't help but feel a little lonely and a bit bitter.

* * *

><p>At the Utonium household, Christmas Eve was in full swing. As always, the girls were competing to see who could finish their chores first and put the star on top of the tree. And, as always, Blossom finished first.<p>

"Hey, that's not fair!" Bubbles cried.

"Yeah, you always finish first!" said Buttercup.

"Can I help it if I'm faster than you?" retorted Blossom.

"You bake cookies! It takes like, two minutes! We get the tree and decorate the whole house!" the brunette puff argued. Blossom bit her lip, feeling a bit guilty that she put the star on top every year. Reluctantly, she held it out to Bubbles, who squealed and shot to the top of the tree. "Well, at least you let someone else put it on," Buttercup grouched.

"Ready, girls?" Professor Utonium asked.

"Ready, Professor!" all three chorused.

With a smile, the man clicked the two plugs he had been holding together. The lights on the tree glowed happily, and all four oohed and ahhed. And then...they blinked out. The accompanying awww was not one of amazement.

"These darn lights! This happens every year!" the Professor yelled while fiddling with the cords.

The lights continued to blink on and off as the man tried to fix them. The girls grew bored with his mutterings after a bit, and decided to go watch tv. There were a few Christmas specials on, and after arguing they settled on _Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer_. Over the sound of their giggling or awws, the Professor could be heard grumbling in the background as he continued to fiddle with the lights.

* * *

><p>Back at Ms. Bellum's house, she had changed and showered, and was currently curled up in a chair in front of her fireplace. She sighed and looked out on snow covered Townsville. From her home atop a hill she could see silhouettes of families decorating trees, baking cookies, and watching tv. The loneliness returned tenfold, and she seriously considered getting a drink. Not that she drank often or was an alcoholic, she mainly kept it for appearances.<p>

She sighed as she glanced around her large living room. It was bare of any decorations, save a small wrapped envelope the Mayor had given her earlier in the evening. Her luck it had something to do with pickles. That was her sole Christmas present, though the girls had mentioned something about a gift earlier in the week when she'd last seen them. Her gift to them had already been delivered in the form of one hundred dollars each.

She sighed again (she had been doing an awful lot of that lately) and decided to have a drink, just a small one, before turning in early.

* * *

><p>Finally, the Professor had managed to fix the lights. They were all snuggled together watching the end of <em>Rudolph<em> when one of the packages caught Blossom's eye. She smiled as the lights glittered off the shiny red paper. Inside was Ms. Bellum's present, a golden necklace with a ruby pendant. She and her sisters had saved their allowance for months to buy that necklace, and still ended up needing help from the Professor.

Sure they'd gone without new video games or toys for a while, but they agreed it was worth it for someone they considered a mother. Besides, Ms. Bellum's very generous gift of one hundred dollars each more than made up for their lack of toys. The pink puff frowned as she realized something. The older redhead had seemed sad when they'd seen her earlier in the week. She'd asked them about their plans for Christmas, which they'd gladly told her, and she had looked lonely and sad.

Blossom then realized she'd never heard what Ms. Bellum's plans were. Every time they'd asked she'd change the subject to something else. The girl wondered if maybe she didn't have any plans or worse, was alone on Christmas. The movie ended, and while the Professor got up to get a snack, she pulled her sisters close.

"Girls, I've been thinking-what if Ms. Bellum is alone for Christmas?"

"That's ridiculous, Blossom," scoffed Buttercup. "Everyone loves her. She's gotta be spending Christmas with someone."

"Buttercup's right, everyone loves Ms. Bellum," Bubbles added.

"No, hear me out. Didn't she look a little sad when we were describing our plans to her? And she never did tell us what hers were, she always changed the subject."

"So? Maybe she's got a hot date and didn't want to talk about it," countered Buttercup.

"I don't know, Buttercup. Now that Blossom mentions it, she did seem a little sad all week."

"And no one should be alone on Christmas. So, what d'ya say we ask the Professor if she can spend Christmas with us?"

"Well, all right," Buttercup agreed warily.

"Aw, come on, you know he'll say yes. He's had a crush on her forever!" Blossom giggled as she flew to the kitchen, sisters in tow.

"Professor! We have a question for you!" Bubbles called as they flew in.

"What is it, girls? I'm a bit busy," he asked as he measured the perfect amount of pretzels for party mix.

Bubbles and Buttercup shared a look before shoving Blossom forward. She glared at them before facing the man.

"Umm, Professor? You know how you always say that Christmas isn't about the presents, it's about family and the love they share?"

"Yes, Blossom."

"And remember how you said that you thought one of the worst things in the world was to be alone on Christmas?"

"Yes, Blossom," he said, looking around the large bowl he had been making party mix in.

"Well, if we knew someone who was going to be alone on Christmas, and they were our friend, could they celebrate with us?"

"It would depend on just who that friend was."

Blossom looked back at her sisters, who motioned for her to go on.

"What if I told you it was someone you've liked for a long time, someone we all love?"

"Such as?"

"Ms. Bellum."

The Professor stepped back, shocked at the turn of events. He had liked her for as long as he could remember, but never had the courage to approach her. He knew the girls knew he liked her, and he thought perhaps it was another ploy to get him together with someone they liked. He sighed before going over to sit at the table, waving them over to join him.

"Now, girls," he started once they were settled on his lap. "I know you think I'm lonely and I need someone to share my life with, but I'm perfectly happy the way things are. Just because I've liked Ms. Bellum for a while now doesn't mean we need to intrude on her vacation and holiday celebration."

"But, Professor-" Blossom started, but was cut off.

"No, Blossom. Now, I know you girls look up to her quite a bit, but that's no reason to-"

"Professor, she's tellin' the truth!" Buttercup yelled, flying into the air.

"What?" he asked, looking confused.

It wasn't like Buttercup to agree with Blossom. If anything, they usually disagreed so much that they fought.

"If you'll just let her explain, maybe you'll understand why we want this so badly."

"Thanks, Buttercup," Blossom said, smiling at her sister. "Professor, when we were talking to Ms. Bellum earlier this week she seemed really sad. She asked us about our plans for Christmas and when we told her she looked even sadder. And then, when we asked her what she was going to do, she changed the subject. We think she might not have any plans. So can she spend Christmas with us? Please?"

He was torn. On one hand, if he said no then the girls would be mad at him for who knew how long. On the other, if he said yes, then he would be tortured with the woman of his dreams being within reach. And on yet another, what if the girls were wrong and she did have plans and he agreed. They would be so disappointed.

He was torn out of his musings when one of the girls tugged on his sleeve. Bubbles was looking up at him with such a pleading gaze that he momentarily forgot why it was such a bad idea.

"Please, Daddy?"

Well, that clenched it. He just couldn't say no when she called him that.

"Oh, all right. But make sure you're not interrupting anything."

"Thanks, Professor, you're the best!" Blossom cried, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

All three girls zipped out of the kitchen, donned their coats, and shot out the door to go see Ms. Bellum. The Professor groaned and slumped in the chair.

"What have I done?" he asked himself quietly.

* * *

><p>Ms. Bellum had just finished pouring her first drink of the evening and sat back down in her chair when she heard a knock at the door.<p>

"Now who could that be?" she wondered aloud as she went to answer it.

To say she was shocked to see the girls on her porch didn't quite describe her reaction.

"Hi, Ms. Bellum!" said Blossom.

"Merry Christmas!" said Bubbles.

"Can we come in?" asked Buttercup bluntly.

In spite of her surprise and lingering melancholy, she smiled and allowed them inside. They floated in and followed her to her living room, and once they saw where her chair was positioned, settled on the floor in front of it. Still smiling, they could do that to a person, she settled back into her chair. She noticed they were looking around, and from the look of their faces they noticed her lack of decorations. Sure enough, Blossom was the first to turn back and ask her about it.

"Ms. Bellum, where's your decorations?"

"I didn't feel like putting them up this year."

"How come?"

"I just..."

How was she supposed to explain she wasn't in the Christmas spirit to three five year olds. Fortunately, she didn't have to, as something else had grabbed Bubbles' attention. Unfortunately, that something just happened to be the glass of alcohol she still held in her hands.

"What's that?" asked the innocent little girl.

"It's...um...juice."

"Really? I've never seen juice that's brown."

"That's because it's special and only adults can drink it."

"Oh, okay!" Bubbles said happily.

She let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding, glad that the crisis had been averted.

"So, girls, why are you here when I know you should be at home watching a Christmas movie with the Professor?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to explain." Ms. Bellum gave Blossom a look that told her to go for it. "When we talked to you earlier this week you seemed really sad about something. And when we tried to get you to tell us what you were going to do for Christmas you changed the subject really fast. We-er, I, started thinking and realized that maybe the reason you didn't want to talk about your plans was because you didn't have any. Seeing that you have no decorations up confirms that theory."

She looked at her knowingly, and she couldn't help the small smile that edged its way onto her face. Of course she wouldn't be able to fool Blossom.

"And what does any of that have to do with you?"

She wasn't trying to be mean, honestly she wasn't, but she was confused and still a bit bitter about her lack of holiday plans. Bubbles seemed to sense this and flew onto her lap.

"No deserves to be alone on Christmas."

"Bubbles is right. So, what we really want to ask is this-Will you spend Christmas with us?"

She was so shocked she couldn't speak. Of course she'd love to, she loved the girls as if they were her own, but there was the Professor to consider. Did he know they were there? And further more, could she handle being around him without doing something about it? She had liked him for a while now, but he always seemed so busy that she never got the chance to talk to him.

"I-Girls, I don't know what to say."

"Well, that's easy. Say yes," Buttercup said, speaking for the first time since they'd arrived.

"I'd love to, but does the Professor know you're here?"

"Oh yeah, we asked him. He's fine with it."

"Well, if you're sure..." Ms. Bellum could feel what little resistance she had crumbling, and the pleading look the girls were giving her weren't helping. "All right, yes, I'd love to spend the holidays with you."

They flew into the air cheering and she smiled, finally feeling the bitterness leave her heart.

"So, what do I need?"

"Ooh, you'll need your pajamas-"

"-clothes for tomorrow-"

"-your coat-"

Their voices were overlapping and she laughed, causing them to hush.

"Okay, okay, I get it. An overnight bag complete with clothes for tomorrow."

She stood to go to her room and gather the aforementioned items, pausing to dump her drink down the drain as she went.

"We're gonna fly home, okay? I just wanted to warn you!" Blossom called from behind her.

"That's fine, I've been flying with you before," she called back.

"Oh yeah," they mumbled, remembering rescues where they had to fly with her and the Mayor.

* * *

><p>As soon as the older woman disappeared upstairs, the girls turned to face each other.<p>

"This is gonna be so cool!" Buttercup said, glad to finally have someone to control the Professor.

"I know! Finally, someone who'll make sure the Professor doesn't stay up all night watching re-runs of _A_ _Christmas Story_!" Blossom giggled.

"It'll be like having a mommy," Bubbles said.

The other two stopped and stared at her before looking at each other and smiling.

"Yeah, it will be," agreed Blossom.

* * *

><p>Back at home, the Professor was rushing around tidying up the house. If the woman he loved was going to be in it, it was going to be clean. Finally satisfied, he started a fire in the fireplace and dimmed the lights, relaxing to watch the tree and glow from the fire.<p>

* * *

><p>"Okay, girls, I'm ready," Ms. Bellum said as she pulled on her second glove.<p>

All four stepped out on her front porch, and she locked up the house. She checked it one last time to make sure all the lights were off and the the fire was out. Satisfied, she stepped down onto the walkway and held out her arms. Blossom went to her right and Buttercup to the left with Bubbles to support her legs.

"We promise we won't drop you," Blossom said before they took off.

Though extremely cold, the view from the air was wonderful. All the lights twinkling and the snow glistening, it was right off of a postcard. The flight was short and quick, and in no time they had landed on the girls' front lawn. She noticed the lights were out and wondered what was going on inside. She looked to the girls to see if they knew, but they looked even more confused than her.

"Well let's go see what's goin' on," Buttercup said as she flew inside.

Her sisters shrugged and followed, beckoning for her to follow as well. Taking a deep breath she stepped inside, closing the door behind her. The scene was beautiful. The light from the fire lit everything with a gentle glow, and the tree sparkled as it's lights reflected off the ornaments. Apparently none of the girls were expecting it either as they all uttered a soft 'woah' when they saw it.

"Oh, you're back," the Professor said as he stood from his chair. He stopped when he saw Ms. Bellum. "Oh, so you did come."

"Yes," she replied quietly.

Noticing the nervousness and the tension, Blossom silently zipped to the kitchen and incinerated all the cookies she had made. She disposed of the ashes and flew back out into the awkward silence.

"Oh man, we forgot to make cookies! Now Santa won't want to leaves us presents! Will you help us, Ms. Bellum?"

"But you already-ow!" Buttercup yelped as Blossom elbowed her in the ribs. "Um, I mean, how could you forget! That was so stupid!"

The older woman knew the girls were fibbing, but she was also grateful for the escape.

"Of course I'll help you, just let me take my coat off."

The girls smiled and flew into the kitchen, presumably to get out the baking supplies. She smiled at the Professor as she passed, and he smiled back, nervously rubbing the back of his head.

"I'm glad you could come," he said, his voice stopping her in the doorway.

"I am, too," she replied without turning around.

An hour and a half later, cookies had been successfully baked and iced. There were snowmen, trees, stars, and the traditional gingerbread men. The women were laughing and, being curious, the Professor wandered in to see what was going on. Ms. Bellum was the first to spot him, and she smiled brightly, brushing her hair out of her face. He noticed she had blue icing smeared across her face and clothes.

Green icing covered her hands. Looking at his children he discovered them to be in the same predicament with various colors of icing ranging from yellow to white.

"Having fun are we?" he asked playfully, attempting to snag a cookie, only to have his hand slapped away by Buttercup.

"Uh-uh, Professor," she said, "those are for Santa."

"But you can have some of these," Ms. Bellum said, offering him a tray he hadn't noticed before.

He took one numbly, barely tasting it.

"Is it good?" Blossom asked.

"Uh-huh," he replied absentmindedly, not taking his eyes off the redheaded beauty in front of him.

She blushed and sat the tray down, making herself the first to break eye contact.

"I knew they would be! Ms. Bellum's the best cook ever! You should have seen her making the batter! It was so cool!" Blossom gushed.

"I'm sure it was," he laughed, finally acknowledging them with more than a few words. "But you all seem to be covered in icing. What to do, what to do. I know; if you take your bath then we'll all settle down and watch _How_ _the Grinch Stole Christmas_. But you have to hurry, it starts in twenty minutes."

His answer was three streaks of multicolored light zipping passed him and up the stairs. The next thing he heard was arguing over what bubble bath they wanted to use. He chuckled lightly, savoring the moment. He heard a small cough from behind him and turned to find a relaxed Ms. Bellum.

"Does everyone include me?" she asked.

"You're more than welcome to join us. Actually, I think if you didn't the girls would tie you to a chair and force you." She laughed, and the sound made his heart soar. "You're a little dirty yourself. If you'd like to freshen up there's a bathroom connected to the guest room."

"I'd love that, actually."

"I'll show you where it is."

After he had led her to her room, he went back downstairs and busied himself cleaning up the kitchen. It was amazing the mess four women could make by simply baking cookies. He had just thrown the last of the crumbs into the trash can when he heard his girls zipping back downstairs.

"Where's Ms. Bellum?" Bubbles asked.

"Yeah, isn't she gonna watch tv with us?" asked Blossom.

"She should be down soon, girls. She wanted to shower, too."

"No need to worry, girls, I'm right here."

All four turned at the sound of her voice. She was in a dark red night gown that stopped at her mid thigh, and it was somewhat thin. It was covered by her robe cinched loosely around her waist. Her hair had obviously been dried, but was still a little damp at the edges, causing it to cling to her face. Without thinking, the Professor stepped forward and brushed it away.

He let his hand linger for a moment and she leaned into his touch. They jumped apart, blushing wildly, when they heard giggles a few feet away.

"Are we gonna watch a movie or what?" Buttercup asked as she flew into the living room.

"We're coming, hold on a second!" Blossom yelled a she flew after her sister, Bubbles in tow.

Deciding he couldn't screw up any worse, the Professor held out his arm for Ms. Bellum to take. She accepted and he escorted her into the living room. They sat on the couch with the girls lying on the floor at their feet. Each was thinking the same thing-_can he/she possibly feel the same way_?

The girls made it through _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_ and by then it was their bedtime. They begged to be allowed to stay up and watch _White Christmas_, which came on next. He relented. After all, Christmas only comes once a year. As he knew they would, they fell asleep a third of the way through.

Ms. Bellum had been steadily inching her way closer to him, and he calmly let her. Hopefully this would end the way he wanted it to. That's why when she laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled into his side he did nothing but wrap his arm around her. They stayed snuggled together for the remainder of the film, and by the end it was getting late. Ms. Bellum was partially asleep, but no so much that she missed the Professor turn the tv off.

"I've always loved that old movie," he whispered so as not to wake his girls.

"I have, too," she responded sleepily.

"You know, the girls look up to and admire you quite a bit."

"I know, and I try to be a good role model for them."

"I admire you quite a bit, too."

She sat up to look at him, suddenly wide awake. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? He wasn't looking at her, and she could just make out a faint blush in the glow from the fire.

"Professor, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"That depends."

"On what?"

"On your answer."

"Then my answer is this; I admire you quite a bit, too."

He turned to face her, and they locked gazes.

"I've liked you for quite some time," he admitted quietly.

"Well that's funny, because I've liked you for quite some time, too."

They were about to kiss, but one of the girls mumbled and shifted in her sleep. They leaned back, both looking at the children on the floor.

"I'd better get them to bed," the Professor said as he stood. "Wouldn't want Santa to pass over the house because they weren't in bed."

"No, we wouldn't," she agreed, standing as well and lifting Buttercup into her arms.

The Professor stared at her for a second before smiling and turning to lead the way up the stairs. Together they tucked the three girls into bed, though she stepped back as he kissed them each goodnight. She was smiling softly when he turned to face her and wave her over. She approached with a questioning look. He nodded his head toward them, and she shook her head.

"Go ahead," he whispered.

"Are you sure?"

"You're like their mother. Go on."

Slowly, she leaned down and kissed each one on the forehead. Each girl smiled a bit bigger in their sleep, or in Buttercup's case simply smiled. They eased out of the girls' room, leaving the door open a crack for Bubbles, and the domesticity of the situation didn't escape them, nor did it feel wrong. They bid each other goodnight and went to their respective bedroom, each hoping the night hadn't been a dream.

* * *

><p>Christmas morning dawned bright and early, and as usual the Professor was the first up. Before he went to wake up the girls he spared a look into the guest room. Ms. Bellum was still sleeping soundly, and he smiled mischievously. If he had anything to do with it, she would soon be getting a wake up call from a certain superhero team. Quietly, he continued down the hall and slipped into the girls' bedroom.<p>

Taking a running start, he began jumping on the bed.

"It's Christmas! It's Christmas!" he said excitedly, not unlike a small child. The girls shot out of bed, more than ready to see what Santa had brought. "Oh and girls?" They stopped. "Ms. Bellum is still asleep. We wouldn't want her to miss opening presents, would we?"

They giggled before flying down the hall to wake up the older woman. They looked in through a cracked door and grinned, already realizing how much fun this could be.

"All right, girls, on my count," Blossom said, slowly easing the door open. "One, two, three!"

They zipped into the room laughing and squealing, making a perfect landing on the sleeping woman. She jerked awake and was greeted with the sight of three very excited little girls.

"Come on, Ms. Bellum!" Bubbles, said.

"We're going downstairs-" Blossom started.

"To rip into some presents!" Buttercup finished.

"Come on! Get up!" they chorused.

"Okay, okay," she replied, laughing a little as she sat up. "I'm up, I'm up!"

They barely gave her time to tug on her robe before practically pulling her downstairs. The Professor was already waiting beside the tree, bouncing in anticipation like a child. She laughed as she realized she was basically the only adult in the situation. She took her seat beside the man as the girls began handing out presents at a rapid fire pace.

* * *

><p>Much later in the morning, after presents had been opened and breakfast eaten, they were once again gathered in front of the tree, this time watching the girls play with their new toys. Ms. Bellum was once again curled into the Professor's side, who had settled down considerably after opening gifts.<p>

"You know, this has been one of the best Christmases I can remember," Ms. Bellum said as she smiled at Bubbles' new painting.

"Same here," he replied, neither noticing Blossom had disappeared.

"Hey, Professor, what's that?" Buttercup asked, pointing to the mistletoe now hovering above their heads.

They looked up and blushed, sending mock scolding looks to a giggling Blossom.

"Well, it is tradition," Ms. Bellum said with a smile.

"That it is," replied the Professor.

"Merry Christmas, John," she whispered as they got closer together.

"Merry Christmas, Sara," he replied just before their lips met.

They shared their first kiss, oblivious to the cheers in the background.


	2. Chapter 2

Ms. Bellum had been running herself ragged for the past week in preparation for Christmas. This year, she'd be at her boyfriend's house. She had been rushing around trying to buy last minute gifts for his girls and for him, the result of which was her being exhausted. But she had done it. She had managed to get the new bows for Blossom, an art kit for Bubbles, and the toy monster trucks for Buttercup.

Satisfied, she collapsed into bed on December 23, more than ready for the week of vacation she had coming.

She woke up on December 24 to a sore throat and exhaustion. She fervently hoped that it was just allergies or stress because of Christmas, but her common sense told her otherwise. She ignored it, instead rising and readying for the day. The Professor was expecting her for lunch, after which she was supposed to watch the girls. That night they were supposed to decorate the house and bake cookies.

She hoped she'd make it that far.

She didn't. Lunch had been okay, as had watching the girls. But by nightfall, she had no choice but to acknowledge that her symptoms, which were quickly adding up, weren't allergies. Besides her sore throat, she also had a cough and what she suspected was the beginning of a fever. She could barely talk, and her usual energy wasn't there. The Professor pulled her aside just before dinner.

"Sara, are you feeling all right?" he asked, concern coating his words and filling his eyes.

"I'll be all right," she said instead of directly answering his question.

He smoothed the hair out of her face, pausing for a second as he felt the heat there. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough to make him concerned. He noticed she looked tired, and perhaps a bit pale. He kissed her forehead, bringing her into his arms. He held her for a few minutes and she sighed in contentment.

A crash caused them to break apart, followed by shouting. They sighed, already contemplating how to break up the argument. He kissed her again, running a soothing hand down her back.

"Why don't you go lie down for a while?" he suggested.

"Are you sure you can handle them?"

A second crash sounded and he winced.

"I'll manage. You rest, I'll wake you when it's time to start decorating."

"Thank you, John," she said, giving him a kiss before heading upstairs, asleep almost before her head hit the pillow.

After handling the argument between Blossom and Buttercup and getting them to eat dinner, he was more than happy to escape for a few minutes to wake up his girlfriend. The small black box in his lab coat pocket seemed to burn and weigh a ton. He hoped she would say yes, after all they had been dating for a year. And they had known each other for a lot longer than that. He took a deep breath as he entered his bedroom, only to hold it at the sight that greeted him.

One would think after a year of dating he would be used to seeing her asleep in his bed, but it always amazed him. She looked like an angel, albeit an ill and miserable one, but an angel nonetheless. Her hair was splayed across the pillow, her face relaxed in sleep. Instead of her usual red business suit she had worn a red scoop neck sweater and gray lounge pants. Though the majority of her body was covered, she had managed to free the sheets enough for him to notice that her sweater had ridden up, exposing her stomach.

Tenderly, he eased her sweater back down and adjusted the blankets over her. He didn't want to wake her when she looked so peaceful, but he knew that they likely wouldn't have anymore time alone over the next few days. He shook her shoulder gently, drawing back his hand when sleepy blue eyes looked up at him.

"Is it time to get up?" she asked, coughing and beginning to sit up.

"Yes, the girls are ready to start decorating and are wondering where you are." He slipped the box out of his pocket, keeping it hidden in the palm of his hand. "But before we go down, I have something to ask you." Even when sick and feverish her mind was sharp, and her eyes widened as she realized what it was. "Sara Marie Bellum," the Professor said while kneeling, "will you be my wife?"

It definitely wasn't a romantic proposal, but the Professor was a straight-forward man.

"Yes, yes John, yes," she breathed, hardly believing her ears.

Smiling, he took the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger. The diamond was moderately sized, large enough to be eye-catching but not gaudy, small but not too small to be missed. The light refracted beautifully, causing the stone to glitter. She stared at it for a moment, tears slipping down her cheeks, before launching herself at her fiancé. She kissed him, a real kiss, forgetting for the moment she wasn't feeling well.

Pulling back, they rested their foreheads together, looking into one another's eyes.

"You're happy, then?" the Professor asked. "Truly happy?"

"Yes, truly happy," she whispered back.

They shared a few more kisses before he helped her up.

"We'd better go check on our girls," he said, loving the light that entered her eyes.

"Our girls," she whispered in awe, following him downstairs.

* * *

><p>As the evening wore on it became apparent that Ms. Bellum was sick. She had all but lost her voice, was coughing and sneezing, and had a fever. She did little more than supervise as the girls readied the house for Christmas, upset but not feeling well enough to help. She spent her time curled on the couch covered in a heavy duvet. Any time she tried to help the girls scolded her, just as concerned as the Professor.<p>

When they had finished, including the yearly light fiasco, the girls sat in front of the her on the floor to watch movies and the Professor laid with her on the couch. It was a lot more intimate than the year before, when both adults had been too shy to touch one another. She was lying partially on top of him, both wrapped in the blanket. Their shared body heat helped with her fever, the slight chills she had been experiencing diminishing to nothing. The girls looked at her with worry each time she sneezed or coughed, though she assured them she was fine.

She didn't last long during the movie, the combination of warmth and the Professor stroking her hair causing her to fall asleep. The girls followed shortly after, exhaustion catching up to them. Smiling at his family, the Professor carefully maneuvered his his way off the couch and carried them to bed, returning for Ms. Bellum shortly after. He switched off the tv, scooping her up bridal style. She curled into him in her sleep and he kissed her head.

Laying her on the bed, he began to change her clothes, no longer embarrassed to touch her. He gently slid her pants down her legs, placing them in the basket to be washed. Next came the sweater, and he desperately tried to ignore the very sexy, lacy, black bra and panties she had chosen for the day. Instead, her red nightgown hanging over his arm, he leaned her against him and popped the clasp of her bra, ridding her of it to make her more comfortable. He slipped the gown over her head, ignoring the show he was getting.

He was familiar with every inch of her body, so it was easy to ignore it briefly. Once she was dressed he laid her back down and tucked her in, making sure she was warm enough. He then changed his own clothes and got in beside her. She turned and burrowed into his side immediately, and his arm wrapped around her. He was concerned about the heat rolling from her. For a simple cold her fever was awfully high. But she didn't seem to be more uncomfortable than was normal for someone with a cold, so he simply held her tighter and fell asleep, content to check on her in the morning.

* * *

><p>Unbeknownst to the couple sleeping down the hall, Blossom was awake. The Professor had woken her when he'd carried them to bed, though she'd been careful not to let him know. He had enough to worry about, what with Ms. Bellum sick. She felt bad for the older woman, she really did. Of all the times to be sick, Christmas was definitely the worst.<p>

She had been miserable all day and hadn't gotten to help with the preparations. She could barely remember the last time she had seen her sick, and then there had been an antidote so she hadn't suffered long. But there was no cure for the common cold. And from what she and her sisters had noticed it seemed to be a particularly nasty case. She wished there was something she could do to help. Then it hit her. She shook her sisters awake, ignoring their protests.

"Blossom! I'm tryin to sleep!" Buttercup grumbled.

"Santa won't come if we're awake," Bubbles said, hugging her Octi doll.

They rolled over and attempted to go back to sleep.

"It's about Mom," she said.

That got their attention. They never called either adult Mom or Dad unless they were being extremely serious or something was wrong. They sat up and faced her.

"What about her?" Buttercup asked.

"You know how she's sick?"

"Yeah."

"And how she's absolutely miserable?"

"Get to the point, Blossom," the green puff snapped.

"Okay, okay. I was thinking of a way to help her feel better when it hit me-"

"What? Common sense?" Buttercup interrupted, earning a glare from the the pink puff.

"As I was saying, I got an idea. What if, instead of her going to Christmas, we brought Christmas to her?"

"I don't get it," Buttercup said.

Blossom sighed.

"It's simple; she's sick, right? She needs rest, right?"

"Yeah," the other girls answered.

"So instead of making her get up early and go all the way downstairs, what could we do?" They looked at her in confusion. "We take it...to her." She watched as it finally sank in. "Good idea, huh?"

"Yeah, but what will Daddy say?" Bubbles asked.

"I hope he'll say yes."

"Whatever," Buttercup said, yawning and lying back down. "Either it works or it doesn't. I don't care, I want sleep."

They settled into silence, readjusting and getting comfortable.

"Blossom?" Bubbles said with a yawn.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Mommy will be okay?"

"Of course she will. Mommy..." She tested the word for the first time, enjoying the way it rolled off her tongue so naturally. "Mommy is a fighter." She made a mental note to use that instead of Mom. "Besides, it's just a cold."

"You're right, Blossom. Night."

There was no more talking, only the sound of light snoring filling the air.

* * *

><p>The Professor's eyes snapped open at five-thirty the next morning, excitement rushing through his veins. His first impulse was to wake his girlfriend and then wake his daughters, but he managed to squash it down. Ms. Bellum was curled against him, a shiver racing down her spine every so often. Her face was flushed a bit, not terribly but it was evident she had a fever. He brushed his hand across her forehead, smiling when she leaned into his touch.<p>

He decided he would wait for a while before getting up and waking her. She looked content and relaxed in sleep, and he knew that wouldn't be the case when she woke up.

* * *

><p>Blossom woke just before sunrise. She felt excitement buzzing in her system, but she also remembered her idea. She wasted no time in waking her sisters.<p>

"Girls, wake up! It's Christmas!"

They were awake instantly, and would have shot out the door if she hadn't grabbed the backs of their nightgowns.

"Blossom, let go!" Buttercup yelled.

"Remember our plan? We have to get started, but we can't open anything."

Grumbling, but stilling her movements, Buttercup made Blossom free her. They floated downstairs quietly, gasping when they saw the presents underneath the tree. Their stockings were bulging and they itched to open them. But they didn't. Instead they unfastened their stockings and flew them upstairs to the Professor's room.

He was surprised to see them float in with their stockings, even more so when they propped them on his bedside table.

"Girls, what are you doing?"

"Bringing Christmas to Ms. Bellum because she's sick," Blossom answered.

They flew out before he could answer, not that he was able to in his shock. His girls never ceased to amaze him. He would never have thought to bring the gifts upstairs, but of course the girls had. He was glad they cared for her so much, it would make their marriage so much easier.

The gifts came next, piled at the foot of the bed. He was unsurprised when the tree followed, though he was surprised that it fit. They wasted no time in plugging it in, causing the lights to send a soft glow through the room. Gently, he untangled himself from Ms. Bellum, slipping out of bed to rearrange the presents under the relocated tree. The sisters settled on the bed, forming a semi-circle around the sleeping woman.

A non-verbal agreement was made that they wouldn't jump on her to wake her. They instead took turns shaking her shoulder until she opened her eyes.

"Good morning, girls. Merry Christmas," she said when she focused on them.

"Merry Christmas, Mommy," they chorused.

Her eyes widened at the new title, but quickly teared up when she saw the tree and presents. She looked back at them.

"Did you do this for me?" They nodded their heads. "Girls, I...I don't know what to say. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Do you feel any better?" Blossom asked.

"A little," she answered, half telling the truth.

They smiled and gave her a hug. It occurred to her, while those three little bodies were pressed against her, that she was home. The girls noticed the fevered heat emanating from the woman. While it concerned them it also soothed them, and they snuggled closer. The Professor smiled as he watched the exchange, taking the opportunity to go over and stand beside her.

She looked up at him and smiled. He cupped her cheek and she leaned into his touch.

"Merry Christmas, Sara," he whispered.

"John, did you know about this?"

"No, it surprised me just as much as it did you."

He sat beside her on the bed. The girls, sensing the moment was about to turn romantic, zipped away from the bed and straight to the tree.

"Can we open presents now? Can we?"

They laughed, pulling away from each other.

"Go ahead," the Professor said, still chuckling.

The three squealed in delight, rapidly passing out presents. Their was a thump as they landed on the bed beside their parents. Paper flew into the air, each girl squealing or gasping happily when a new toy was revealed. Ms. Bellum, gradually becoming more awake, coughed and sneezed occasionally. The Professor would hand her a tissue each time, barely turning his attention from his own gifts.

She couldn't help but chuckle quietly. For such an accomplished scientist he could be such a child at times, but that was part of the reason she loved him. She was tad more careful with her own presents, pleased that she had received the facial kit and massage spa she had wanted. And then there was the abundance of chocolate, most of which she knew the girls would get. She sighed and laid her head back, content to watch her children and fiancé play with their gifts.

Bubbles was the first to calm down, choosing to curl up on the older woman's lap. Blossom followed, taking the other side. They yawned, worn out by all the excitement. They curled into her warmth, eyes slowly slipping closed. Bubbles fell asleep quickly, but Blossom contented herself by playing with the older woman's fingers.

She soon felt something cold and hard. Her eyes snapped open and she looked closer at what she was tracing. She recognized it immediately, her gaze transfixed. Ms. Bellum had felt the girl still and say anxiously above her, trying to guess her reaction, though she assumed it would be good.

"You're getting married? Dad asked you to marry him?" the younger redhead asked.

She noticed that the Professor and Buttercup had stopped playing and were sitting quietly.

"Yes, last night."

There was a tense second where Blossom absorbed the information, and then she found herself buried under two excited little girls. The shock triggered a coughing fit, and they backed off, apologizing profusely. She waved a hand, trying to tell them it was okay.

"We're sorry, we didn't mean to!" Blossom said, nearly in tears.

"I know, I know. Calm down, it's okay," Ms. Bellum soothed once she caught her breath. "Come here." They floated over to her and she pulled them onto her lap. "It was an accident, right?"

They nodded.

"Okay. You were just excited and your first impulse was to give me a hug. I wasn't expecting it, so the surprise made me cough. You didn't hurt me, it's just because I have a cold."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I know you wouldn't hurt me on purpose."

Satisfied and reassured, the two admired her ring.

"Why didn't you tell us last night?" Buttercup asked.

"We thought you knew."

They had called her mommy after all.

"Girls," the Professor said, finally stepping in. "We had hoped you would see the ring and realize, though I suppose the blanket hid it from view."

Ms. Bellum sneezed, breaking the moment. All three heads whipped toward her, startled by the sound. She groaned quietly as she accepted the offered tissue. It seemed that the longer she stayed awake the worse she felt. The congestion seemed to be building up, causing her head to begin to throb. The girls and their father shared a look. The Professor scooped up a still sleeping Bubbles and carried her to their room, tucking her into bed. Blossom and Buttercup coaxed the older woman into lying back down, cleared away the used tissues, and left the room.

Ms. Bellum groaned in frustration. She hated being sick and she felt like she was ruining Christmas. The groan brought on another round of coughing, this more painful than before. In the hall, the Professor cringed in sympathy, wishing he could help her more than he already had. Frowning in frustration, he joined Blossom and Buttercup downstairs.

They were in the kitchen debating about what to have for breakfast. Usually, the Professor whipped up something whimsical and fun, but with his girlfriend sick and Bubbles asleep he didn't try. Instead he helped the girls pour cereal and then proceeded to make oatmeal for Ms. Bellum. He hoped the warmth would soothe her throat and be easy for her to swallow. He made sure to add milk, sugar, and cinnamon, just the way she liked it.

He didn't include her usual cup of coffee, knowing she more than likely wouldn't want it. Instead he chose juice, something that wouldn't burn her already sore throat. Placing everything on a tray, he left the girls in the kitchen to take it upstairs. She was staring at the ceiling when he entered and he could feel her frustration and self loathing across the room. He sat the tray down before turning to her.

"All right, what's wrong?" She didn't answer, refusing to look at him. "Sara," he said, covering her hand with one of his own. "Please tell me what's bothering you."

"I feel like I'm ruining Christmas," she whispered.

He moved to hold her and she gripped him fiercely, leaning her head against his chest.

"You're not ruining Christmas," he said.

"But the girls-"

"Just wanted breakfast and to let you rest."

"And I couldn't go downstairs."

"Which doesn't bother them." She opened her mouth and then closed it, at a loss for what to say. "Run out of reasons? All of which were ridiculous might I add." He smiled down at her, stroking her hair. "Feel better?"

"Relieved."

"Good, my work is done." He released her and turned to the tray, setting it across her lap. "Eat. I'm going to check on Bubbles, then Blossom and Buttercup. I'll be back after that."

He kissed her and left, true to his word. Shaking her head in amusement, she pulled the tray closer, smiling when she saw how considerate he had been. She was slightly disappointed that she hadn't gotten her cup of coffee, but understood it would do more harm than good. Listening to him, she began to eat, enjoying the warmth and how easy it was to swallow.

Bubbles wasn't in the girls' room when the Professor looked in. Slightly worried, he checked downstairs. Sure enough, she was eating breakfast with her sisters. She must have gotten up while he was with Ms. Bellum. He quickly made his own breakfast and ate, wanting to get back to his girlfriend. The girls went with him when he finished, wanting to make sure she was okay as much as he did.

He was unsurprised to find her asleep when they entered, tray placed on the bedside table and drowning in a sea of tissues. He cleared away the tray, smiling at the girls when they began throwing away the tissues. He had expected them to go downstairs and play when they were finished. Instead, they insisted upon staying. They quietly flew in their pink art table, alternating between drawing and reading for the next few hours.

The Professor had settled beside Ms. Bellum on the bed, reading a book of his own. At one point, he looked down to check on her and noticed her fever had broken. The color was back in her face and he smiled, brushing a hand through her hair. She woke soon after, much to the joy of the girls. She was surrounded by cries of "Mommy, look at this!" or "Mommy, I made this for you!"

She smiled and accepted the gifts, giving each girl attention in turn. Once they were satisfied and had gone back to her toys, she insisted on taking a shower. He let her, nervous until she reappeared. She looked a lot better, and even decided to spend the rest of the day downstairs. The girls once again transferred all the Christmas items, then began to play with some of their louder toys.

Ms. Bellum gave into their pleas and played with them, trading off with the Professor every so often.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day was very similar to a normal Christmas. Though Ms. Bellum was still sick, she felt a lot better than she had on Christmas Eve. She was able to help the girls make cookies, something they had been dying to do. That night, not for the first time, not for the for the first time, she stood with the Professor looking in on the girls. She was so glad she had come for Christmas the year before. Her life had changed drastically for the better. Now she was engaged and a mother.<p>

She didn't see how her life could be any better.


End file.
